Different types of vector

data and concept of

topology
 Overview of GIS

Spatial data
are
organized
into layers
 Representing Spatial Elements

• RASTER

• VECTOR

• Real World
 Representing Spatial Elements
Vector
Allows user to specify specific spatial locations and assumes that
geographic space is continuous, not broken up into discrete grid
squares

We store features as sets of X,Y coordinate pairs.

Vector Data Types
Vector data is composed of discrete
coordinates
e.g. points, line (also polylines) and polygons
Coordinates are typically provided in
geographic format (latitude/longitude)
Points: A 0-dimensional object is a point that
specifies a geographic location on the
surface of the planet
e.g. water well and attributes may be
Lines: The simplest 1-dimensional object is a
straight line between two points or polyline when
there are more than two points
Lines are having direction and magnitude (length)
hence a vector data
e.g. Roads, canals, rivers etc.
Polygons (area): It is 2-dimensional object
An area is fully encompassed by a series of connected lines
Because lines have direction, the system can determine the area
that falls within the lines comprising the polygon.
Each polygon contains one type of data (e.g., vegetation, streets,
and dispatch locations would be different polygons)
Topology

Topology describes the spatial relationships

between adjacent features

Using such data structures enforces planar

relationships, and allows GIS specialists to
discover relationships between data layers
 What Is Topology?
• In 1736, the mathematician Leonhard Euler published a paper that
arguably started the branch of mathematics known as topology
• Today, topology in GIS is generally defined as the spatial
relationships between adjacent or neighboring features
or
• The details of the connections between spatial objects such as the
information about which areas bound a line segment is called
topology
or
• Topology stores the relationships of one spatial object with
respect to another
Topological data structures are advantageous:
• Provide an automated way to handle digitizing and
editing errors and artifacts
• Reduce data storage for polygons because boundaries
between adjacent polygons are stored only once
• Enable advanced spatial analyses such as adjacency,
connectivity and containment (control)
• Another important consequence of planar enforcement
is that a map that has topology contains space-filling,
nonoverlapping polygons
 Why topology?
• Topology is fundamental to ensuring
data quality
• Topology enables advanced spatial
analysis and plays a fundamental role
in ensuring the quality of a GIS
database
 Topological Data Model
Path Topological Model
• Spaghetti Model
• Polygon Model

Graph Topological Model

• Dime (Dual Indendent Map Encoding)
• POLYVERT (Polygon Converter)

TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network)

Spaghetti Model
Topological Model
THANKS